As most SBLHS users know, the handbook includes a list of capitalization and spelling examples in section 4.3.6. The purpose of the list is not to specify that some forms of common terms are correct and all others incorrect; rather, SBLHS 4.3.6 records SBL Press’s preferred spelling and formatting of common terms so that anyone … Continue reading On kaige

Writers frequently struggle to know when a title such as king, queen, pharaoh, emperor, or the like should be capitalized and when it is more properly lowercased. SBLHS 4.3.6 includes all of these terms in a list of capitalization and spelling examples; this post reinforces the guidelines illustrated there by explaining the rationale behind them … Continue reading Kings, Queens, Pharaohs, and Emperors

Early Christian texts were influenced by many cultural forms. One prominent influence was Neoplatonism, a philosophical tradition traditionally accredited to Plotinus (204–270 CE) and loosely based on the philosophical tradition begun by Plato (427–347 BCE). Since many scholars write about the connection between Platonism, Neoplatonism, and early Christianity, it is useful to establish some basic … Continue reading Platonic Ideas

SBL Press recommends that scholarly research methods be lowercased unless they are part of an academic department, bibliographic reference, or program unit name. archaeology canonical criticism feminist criticism form criticism ideological criticism rhetorical criticism reception history social-scientific criticism sociorhetorical interpretation source criticism womanist interpretation but Asian and Asian American Hermeneutics (program unit) Department of Reception … Continue reading Research Methods

The SBLHS 2 follows CMS §8.88 in capitalizing officially designated, recurring days in secular and religious calendars. These include festivals, holy days, liturgical seasons, and similar observances. Below are a few examples: Akitu Al-Hijra Ascension Day (as a liturgical day) Ash Wednesday Ashura Beltane Christmas (Day, Eve) Day of Atonement Diwali Easter Eid al-Fitr Eid … Continue reading Feasts, Holidays, and Other Observances

Two commonly confused words are forward and foreword. Forward is a directional term meaning “near, being at” or “moving, tending, or leading toward a position” (Merriam Webster Online). Foreword is a section of a book for “prefatory comments … especially when written by someone other than the author” (Merriam Webster Online). For example: As we … Continue reading Forward versus Foreword

The SBLHS 2 §8.1.2 recommends the use of all caps without periods in abbreviations of chronological eras (see also CMS §9.35): AD anno Domini (in the year of our Lord) AH anno Hegirae (in the year of [Muhammad’s] Hegira) BC before Christ BCE before the Common Era BP before the present CE Common Era Note … Continue reading Eras and Time Periods